Tony Drago has become a familiar name in local sporting circles. And not only here in Malta, because he is also a very popular figure in the UK, where he has been plying his trade for almost 20 years, entertaining crowds with his unique style of fast play.
Since turning professional in 1985, Drago has had a wonderful career, although he thinks it could have been better. “I think I have fared well among the world’s leading players and it would have been better had at least won one ranking tournament. That unfortunately still eludes me, and I am still looking forward to the day when it might become a reality. That would certainly be a great satisfaction for me.”
Drago recalled how he started playing the game of snooker when he was still a little 10-year-old kid. “I have always been told that I had this in-born gift and I really enjoyed myself playing, though I was still very young for those large tables. After two years, I was already playing at the Anglo Maltese League Club, where I was taken care of by Gejtu Degabriele, who passed away several years ago. He used to coach me and always encouraged me to go further, beyond the Maltese shores.
“He was like a father to me. He influenced me in my decisions. There was no one like him. He used to tell me that I would one day become a world class snooker player.”
His first success was in 1980 when he was only 14. “I managed to win the boys championship against Arthur Cachia of Zurrieq. From then on, I started playing with more confidence,” he said.
Drago went on to tell me that during the year before he turned professional, Degabriele had taken him to Birmingham to take part in an international junior event, called the Silver Cue. “It was my first real taste of international competition and I went on to win that tournament, beating Roger Bales 7-2 in the final. It was after this tournament that I decided to take Degabriele’s advice and turned professional.
“That year was very memorable as I also managed to win my only Malta national title. I also managed to compile the highest break in the Malta championship at that time – a 132. And during the championship I remember I compiled century breaks against Alfred Borg (108), Joe Grech (109), Pullu Grech (122) and Joe Bartolo (130). The next year I lost the title, but I still turned professional,” he added.
The second time he went abroad was to Dublin, in 1985/86, where he took part in a pro/am tournament, for which I was also lucky to be present. He commented: “After Degabriele, it was Carm Zerafa of the then Maltese Movement of London who showed a keen interest in promoting me in England. Had it not been for his involvement, and the encouragement of Degabriele, I would not be where I am today. They both paved the way for me to turn professional in the sport. I must also say that my mother Sina has also been a big driving force. Even when I lose, she always has words of encouragement and I appreciate that very much. She is a really loving mum.
“In that Dublin tournament, sponsored by Seiko, I was in excellent form and I beat professional Steve Newbury 5-1 in 45 minutes in what I consider a memorable final. That was followed by my participation in the world amateur championship – also in Ireland – in which Stephen Hendry was also taking part for the first time. I reached the quarter-finals but then, as you are well aware, I lost 4-1 to Ailwyn John after a curious incident involving the tip of my cue which broke apart haphazardly.
“Later I also won another pro-am tournament in Plymouth in which I beat such experienced and top-ranked players as Willie Thorne and Neal Foulds, both 3-0, apart from winning the final 5-1.
Asked whether he found the going tough in his first years, Drago said: “At first, I started feeling homesick and that period lasted for about eight years. I could not stay there for more than two weeks without coming to Malta. But that has changed completely now, to the extent that I prefer to live in England, though I still enjoy my holidays here,” he said.
I asked Tony about his ranking positions since he turned professional. He replied: “Almost immediately, I managed to get into the top 32 and I have remained there since 1987. In fact I am now provisionally ranked No. 22. For a whole five years I was also in the top 16, two years of which I had also made it to the top 10. My best ever ranking was a provisional ninth place. But it is certainly a great satisfaction to have been among the top 20 players now for almost 18 years continuously. A few years ago my form had dropped considerably and I even went down to 39 in the rankings. But under my new manager, Derek Hill, I started climbing back. The results speak for themselves.”
Asked what he considers one of the biggest disappointments in his career, he said: “The only thing that still eludes me is a ranking tournament win. In February 1997 I reached a final in Aberdeen where I lost to Stephen Hendry 9-1. And I also reached the final of the MITA World Masters tournament in Birmingham where I lost the first prize of £200,000 to Jimmy White. He beat me 10-6.
“My best victory was when I won the China Masters in 1996 and that was another big satisfaction because in the final I beat none other than Steve Davis (still at his very best then) 6-2 and in the semi-final I had eliminated Peter Ebdon 6-3.
“Earlier, in 1991, I had also won a big pro-am tournament in India, compiling five centuries in a 9-5 win over Taipichit of Thailand in the final.”
I asked Tony how many century breaks he has compiled in competition. He said: “I don’t know exactly but I am now close to 100. Including training as well, I have now compiled about 6,000 century breaks. My greatest satisfaction is that I am in possession of the world record break – a 149 – which is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records.”
How did that happen, I asked (a maximum in snooker, of course, being 147 points). He explained: “I had a freeball and played the brown, then another brown, 13 reds and 13 blacks, one red and one pink, one red and one blue and all the colours. I still joke with Stephen Hendry about this break, because my mobile number finishes with a 149 and his finishes with a 148.”
Drago went on to explain what achievements of his are recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. “The fastest 5-0 win, in 34 minutes, the fastest 9-0 win, in 81 minutes, the fastest frame in three minutes and, of course, the break of 149.”
I also asked Tony who has been the hardest opponent he has faced so far. He promptly replied: “Without doubt, Steve Davis. He is the kind of player who never gives you a chance. That was why it was a big satisfaction for me to have beaten him in the China final. He has beaten me 12 times, but in the only final where we faced each other, I managed to emerge on top,” said Drago.
I also asked Drago who he thinks is the best ever player in the world. “As a winner, I think that should be Stephen Hendry, but as an all-rounder, then I choose Ronnie O’Sullivan. I was pleased to have seen ‘The Rocket’ beating Hendry in such a fashion (17-4) in the recent world championship semi-final at the Crucible. But I consider the two of them as the Diego Maradona and Tiger Woods of the sport. Both have great abilities and a great temperament.”
A few weeks ago, Drago also recorded his best ever participation in a European Open in Malta. He said: “It was a fantastic week, not just because I produced some really good performances to the delight of the local crowd, but also because of the venue – the Malta Hilton Conference Centre. I must say that all the players have agreed that there is no better venue wherever we have been. It was fantastic, especially having the playing hall at the same hotel, thus avoiding having to travel from Pembroke to Valletta and back.”
Asked about the future of the game, Drago said the standard was getting higher and higher. “At present, there are about 30 players good enough to be in the top 16 and another 30 could be in the top 32. The match is spreading rapidly around the world, and I am sure you will be hearing a lot in the near future about Chinese 16-year-old Dun Giuj Hue who I consider as even better than Ronnie O’Sullivan.”
Drago urged Maltese youngsters hoping to make a career from snooker to take his advice and savour an experience at snooker’s School of Excellence at Wellingborough, where he and other top players, including Peter Ebdon and Keith Warren train regularly. “With some help from the government, they could make it for some four months. They have everything there, including eight tables and also accommodation. The facilities are perfect. I am sure any youngster would improve playing in such conditions.”
“How did you get the nickname ‘Tornado’?”, I ask. He replied: “I believe it was in the players’ room during one of the major tournaments. You know there had been Jimmy White known as The Whirlwind and Alex Higgins as The Hurricane. Someone told that White had said “Tony is a Tornado – he makes me and Alex look slow.” By the way, I must also say that Jimmy White has always been my boyhood hero. He was the first player I ever watched playing on TV.”
Tony is now also building a career in the nine-ball game of Pool. “Last year, I won the Masters title and I consider this even more important than the world championship, because only the top players are invited to take part. It is not open to all. In the world championship I finished third. Now I am taking part in the world championship between 10 and 18 July in Taiwan and then in September I hope to be able to defend the world Masters title in Amsterdam. My main wish is to take part in some tournaments in the United States – the hotbed of the game. I am pleased to have become the only world class snooker player to have won a major Pool title. Steve Davis also plays this game, but has never been as successful as he was in snooker,” he said.
Asked what he considers the greatest moment in his career, he mentioned two events.
“First, in 1999 – my last year in the top 16 – I won a match against Stephen Hendry at the Wembley Conference Centre in the Benson and Hedges tournament. I came from 4-3 behind to snatch a 6-4 win in what I consider was his home ground. He had won at that famous arena on six occasions previously.
“Then in December of last year I was honoured by the then President, Guido de Marco, who bestowed upon me the honour (and medal) Qadi tar-Repubblika.
Drago said he was also pleased to have been selected as Malta’s Sportsman of the Year twice.
In concluding Drago said his career had provided him with a lot of satisfaction. “Most of all, another big satisfaction is that I have been made aware on several occasions that crowds are pleased with my style of play. That means that those who have paid their way into the playing halls, have been satisfied with my performance. I am also proud to state that I am clean – knowing that there are many sportsmen nowadays who get involved with drugs. You have to be honest and clean to be a top player in this game,” he added.